Nanotechnology collaboration between Europe and India

Posted on August 18, 2006

The EuroIndia project announces the launch of its website at www.euroindianet.info. EuroIndiaNet is designed to promote stronger collaboration between EU and Indian scientists and industrialists in the nanotechnologies and nanosciences. The project, coordinated by Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação (SPI), began in April and is funded by the European Commission’s 6th Framework Programme under the International Cooperation priority.

The website is the focus point for information about the project and a means of establishing and strengthening EU-India collaboration in nanotechnology. For example, it contains information about the project’s events such as the forthcoming workshop to be held in Porto on 15th September 2006. This workshop will bring together high level nanotechnology strategy and policy makers to discuss strategies for increasing future collaborative activities between the EU and India in nanotechnology.

The workshop discussions will pave the way for an EU-India Nanotechnology Platform Strategy, encompassing research, industry and government whose implementation will aim to provide the framework necessary to further EU-India nanotechnology collaboration. This along with other means such as the networking opportunities provided during the project’s events will contribute to fostering innovation in nanotechnology to the benefit of both the EU and India.

In addition to the project’s events, the project’s Message Forum provides another opportunity for discussing and developing collaborations. Other website features include useful links for those wanting to explore opportunities for research collaboration in nanotechnology in the EU and India. The project’s informative reports will be posted on the website throughout the project and there are also plans for a database describing key infrastructure and organizations with the facility for scientists interested in EU-India collaborations in nanotechnology to register their details.

The project is being conducted by a number of highly prestigious institutions in addition to the coordinator SPI, Portugal including: the Institute of Nanotechnology, UK, Malsch TechnoValuation, The Netherlands, the Indian Institute of Science, India, the Science and Technology Park Pune, India, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India and the University of Delhi South Campus, India.

Together the organizations comprising the project partnership will be studying the Policies, funding, support structures and training programmes fostering innovation in nanotechnology in the EU and India. They will collaborate with nanotechnology researchers to put together a booklet of “Who’s who in Nanotechnology in India and Europe” and with high level experts to develop an “EU-India Nanotechnology Platform Strategy” that will aim to foster innovation through collaboration in nanotechnology to the competitive advantage of both the EU and India.